Do You, Or Would You, Play In A Cover Band?

[clifffclaven]

I play in one currently, and have played in one at one time or another from pretty much 17 years old on. Im 40 now, and look at things differently. I told myself i would try to "make it" (whatever that means) till i was 35- after that, things and opportunities go downhill quickly if youre playing all originals. my band now gets to play part time rockstar 20-25 times a year, and we also get great opening gigs- tesla, bret michaels, firehouse, great white, poison, cinderella, etc. when those bands come through here. We throw in 4-5 originals in our night, but for the most part its 90% covers.

I suspect those that say "ill NEVER do it" will change their mind once they get my age.

[skintaster]

I play in one currently, and have played in one at one time or another from pretty much 17 years old on. Im 40 now, and look at things differently. I told myself i would try to "make it" (whatever that means) till i was 35- after that, things and opportunities go downhill quickly if youre playing all originals. my band now gets to play part time rockstar 20-25 times a year, and we also get great opening gigs- tesla, bret michaels, firehouse, great white, poison, cinderella, etc. when those bands come through here. We throw in 4-5 originals in our night, but for the most part its 90% covers.

I suspect those that say "ill NEVER do it" will change their mind once they get my age.

That's great that you get to open for the bands you do. I hear you about re-defining your goals after a certain age. I hit 40 last year, and am the "old guy" in my band. We do all originals, but all consider it a serious hobby, not a career option. We do all originals, but have no illusions about becoming rock stars at this point. We just prefer writing and playing our own stuff I guess. Occasionally one of us will rip out a cover at practice for fun, but we'd probably never play them live... Unless we were very very drunk.

[clifffclaven]

That's great that you get to open for the bands you do. I hear you about re-defining your goals after a certain age. I hit 40 last year, and am the "old guy" in my band. We do all originals, but all consider it a serious hobby, not a career option. We do all originals, but have no illusions about becoming rock stars at this point. We just prefer writing and playing our own stuff I guess. Occasionally one of us will rip out a cover at practice for fun, but we'd probably never play them live... Unless we were very very drunk.

Well thats pretty much what i meant- we all look at it as a hobby, not a career option. Thats also what i meant about being 40 (or really, over 35)- Your "market" for originals starts shrinking rapidly when the audience is young enough to be your kids. It sucks, but its reality, unless you play in a country or blues band. Last friday, we opened for firehouse here. I got to play in front of 1700+ people. Would it have been more fulfilliing if we played all our own stuff? Maybe, but thats only if people A) recognized it and B) cared.

At this point in my life, i have no desire to starve myself anymore for "the dream" or whatever. Ive done that. I would rather play covers to 1700 people that love what were playing instead of playing my own stuff to the 23 people that are gonna turn out to see myself and 2 other bands on the same bill play all originals and split the $52 that we brought in at the door.

[tgreensl1]

I play in a 80's hair metal cover band. We do whitesnake, poison, dokken, motley crue, skid row........ We make pretty good cash doing it and its alot of fun but every once in a while some politics shit comes up and you wanna quit. We play 3-4 times a month and i wouldn't want to play anymore. My stage name is C.C. Roze

myspace.com/RoxxxyKicksAss

[tgreensl1]

There's other ways to earn a buck. And I wouldn't even bother playing in shitholes which gather folks who are only into covers.

Play in a 80's hair metal cover band and youll play nice bars with lots of people loving it

[Endrik]

I don't like playing in bars

[Rupe]

I don't like playing in bars

Why is that? Where do you prefer?

I know they're not the greatest venue, but small clubs/bars can be a lot of fun, especially when the crowd really gets into it. If the alternative is not gigging or just playing at home, I'm all for playing bars.

[Endrik]

Why is that? Where do you prefer?

I know they're not the greatest venue, but small clubs/bars can be a lot of fun, especially when the crowd really gets into it. If the alternative is not gigging or just playing at home, I'm all for playing bars.

I prefer playing on the biggest stages possible. Smaller places have more intimate feel but somehow I've never been into it. I'm all about bigger and louder. My first gig ever was in a outdoor festival playing through an old Plexi stack, the second gig was in a outdoor festival in front of 6000 people. So I was spoiled pretty early
Of course I'm talking about loud rock music. I've no problem playing something else in cool, dark clubs. But I still hate bars. Maybe I'm too chic for that shit, in a couple of weeks I'm going to play in a 16th century Renaissance hall but that's no biggie as my rehearsal room is in the same building

[Rupe]

I prefer playing on the biggest stages possible. Smaller places have more intimate feel but somehow I've never been into it. I'm all about bigger and louder. My first gig ever was in a outdoor festival playing through an old Plexi stack, the second gig was in a outdoor festival in front of 6000 people. So I was spoiled pretty early
Of course I'm talking about loud rock music. I've no problem playing something else in cool, dark clubs. But I still hate bars. Maybe I'm too chic for that shit, in a couple of weeks I'm going to play in a 16th century Renaissance hall but that's no biggie as my rehearsal room is in the same building

Very cool! You can't beat wailing through a plexi stack...especially for your first gig!
My largest crowd was also an outdoor festival (4-5K people???) but I felt detached from them as I was probably about 20' from the front row...although there was a cool energy that you don't get in a club.

[Endrik]

I remember we had a lot of people in front of the stage and screaming. And it wasn't a normal stage, it was the ego stage, you know the T shaped one. So during the solos I walked on the "catwalk" and did my posing while playing really really fast

[rat]

Yup, I used to...I was a whore on and off from the mid 70s till
my last show in 2000. Also done some studio work on originals.
Back in the 70's till mid 80,s a band could make some pretty good
money. Upwards of 800-1200 dollas for wedensdays, fridays and saturdays.
The band I played with played because we loved playing, it wasn't for the
money. I remember the ladies nights well. We'd take turns pouring pitchers
of icewater on those hooters. Man, a guy could get an eye put out when you
icewatered those babies down.. They'd line up to let us soak'em and a $100 dolla first prize..
Wet T-shirt contest nights were among my favorites. Then there was the tough love of moving the PA and lights and gear. Or having the bus break down a hunderd miles from home. Living on peanutbutter sammiches and chips beer and women. lol We were a house band for about a year, that was
friggin' gr8! Didn't have to move shit! Just carry our asses in and our axes..
We each had our own mics we usually carried out also. The owner started stiffing us on the cash at about 7 mos. We had a falling out and we moved on. I think he regretted it later, but wtf do I know. It was hearsay among
the club owners we new.

Jeezus, that was a long time ago. If I had it to do over, would I do it again?
You betcha....!!

[Bert]

Used to swear I'd never play in a cover band and did only originals for years. Then I got old and joined a cover band!

[sambencuda]

I was in an original band from highschool through my 20's, did an acoustic thing with a buddy(originals with some covers) for a while then I packed it in for a few years. about 6 years ago, I got back into playing and started playing in a cover band. I have to say it was quite rewarding. The stress of trying to
"make it" was gone and I could just play the stuff that ifluenced me and crowds dug it. I'm now in another cover band, but not primarily to make money. We are ramping up and plan on playing maybe twice a month. most cover bands in New England are just pop factorys with one guitar player. To me, they all sound the same. We have 3 guitar players and 4 of us sing. We nail all guitar harmonies and vocal backups/harmonies. Mind you, the typical cover bands are in it for the money and they make top coin, but we are into accuracy. Its impessive to see a band accurately cover hard rock/metal stuff. For me, it's just fun at this point. If I can make a few bucks, thats cool too.